Just the Way You Are- Lynsey James

The Blurb

Dear Ava, How do you start writing a letter to someone, six years after breaking their heart? 

Ava is unlucky in love as well as in life. The new office bitch has landed the dating column Ava wanted, and she can't remember the last time she had a second date. It's a good thing she has best friends Max and Gwen to pick up the pieces.

Deep down, Ava knows the reason why one date never turns into two - she's in love with someone else. Someone she's never even met.
It all started six years ago, with a letter from a secret admirer, Mr Writer... but then they suddenly stopped and Ava was heartbroken.

Now the letters have started again and Ava knows it could mean winning back the dating column at work. This time she's determined to unmask Mr Writer... and find out once and for all if he's Mr Right or Mr Very Definitely Wrong!

 

The Review

I've 'known' Lynsey on twitter for a few years now through the book blogger community and was thrilled to hear she'd been offered a book deal with Carina!  She'd mentioned her writing before and I loved the idea of a mysterious admirer sending old-fashioned love letters - after all, you can't get much more romantic than that.

Just the Way You Are is Ava's story. There's her work life, where she's desperate to write a barn-storming article to win the dating column from her arch-rival.  Her tight friendships with Gwen and Max, people she hopes will always have her back.  The relationship she builds with Ivy, a lady she strikes up a bond with and decides to make it her mission to reunite her with lost love Leo.  And of course, the letters from Mr Writer...

That's the one part of the book I was less keen on, the secret admirer.  The idea itself was great, but I just didn't feel there were enough contenders for the role of Mr Writer.  There wasn't any mystery for me and I'd expected to be wondering who was wooing Ava for far longer than I actually was.  This book is marketed as a romantic puzzle but for me the subplots were far more appealing, mainly because unlike the Mr Writer storyline, I genuinely wasn't sure how they'd play out.  Personally, I was more drawn to Ivy and Leo's story than Ava's and I'd have loved them to be the central characters in this book.  Their story had such bitter-sweet history and with Ava determined to reunite them I was willing a happy ending for this older couple.  Ivy was definitely my favourite character - wise, but with a sense of fun. 

I'm looking forward to seeing what Lynsey does next when her second novel, The Broken Hearts Book Club is released next week. 

Just the Way You Are is out now, published by Carina UK.

With thanks to the publisher who provided me with a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

The Guestbook - Holly Martin

 

The Blurb
Welcome to Willow Cottage – throw open the shutters, let in the sea breeze and make yourself completely at home. Oh, and please do leave a comment in the Guestbook!

As landlady of Willow Cottage, the young widow Annie Butterworth is always on hand with tea, sympathy or strong Norfolk cider - whatever her colourful array of guests require. A flick through the messages in the leather-bound cottage guestbook gives a tantalizing glimpse into the lives of everyone who passes through her doors.

This includes Annie herself - especially now celebrity crime writer Oliver Black, is back in town. He might grace the covers of gossip magazines with a different glamorous supermodel draped on his arm every week, but to Annie, he’s always just been Olly, the man who Annie shared her first kiss with.

Through the pages of the Guestbook Annie and Olly, along with all the guests that arrive at the seaside retreat, struggle with love, loss, mystery, joy, happiness, guilt…and the odd spot of naked rambling!

Forget sending postcards saying wish you were here - one visit to Willow Cottage and you’ll wish you could stay forever.

The Review

I love it when an author looks for a new, unique way to tell a story and in The Guestbook Holly Martin has done just that.  I imagine it was a challenge to develop a plot in the way Holly has here (through a series of entries in the guest book for Annie Butterworth's holiday cottage) but it works incredibly well, giving the reader the opportunity to see the story from multiple viewpoints. Each character has an entertaining voice and the humour I've come to expect from this author is generously sprinkled throughout the book.

However, although there are moments I laughed out loud, it's not all plain sailing for protagonist Annie.  Since her husband Nick died she's thrown herself into running Willow Cottage as a holiday retreat.  She's given her heart and soul yet for some people that will never be enough.  There's also the added complication of the return of Olly, Annie's old flame...

Through the pages of the guest book, which is more like a diary of notes between Annie, Olly, Sophia (who cleans the cottage) and the guests, we are introduced to an array of colourful characters and are able to watch the relationship between Annie and Olly develop.  The plot naturally shifts with each change in characters, but that kept me interested - the mini subplots kept my interest up, and that along with the chatty writing style made this a very readable book.

The only problem for me was the cliffhanger ending - you can't leave it like that, especially when there's no follow up/sequel!  I'm hoping the author will share what happened next because I'm desperate to know!

This was a fun, fresh read which might appeal to fans of humorous women's fiction.

The Guestbook is out now, published by Carina.

With thanks to the publisher who provided me with a galley copy of this book in return for my honest review.

The Little Bookshop on the Seine - Rebecca Raisin COVER REVEAL!

The Blurb
Le Vie En Rose

Bookshop owner Sarah Smith has been offered the opportunity to exchange bookshops with her new Parisian friend for 6 months! And saying yes is a no-brainer – after all, what kind of a romantic would turn down a trip to Paris…for Christmas?

Even if it does mean leaving the irresistible Ridge Warner behind, Sarah’s sure she’s in for the holiday of a lifetime – complete with all the books she can read!

Imagining days wandering around Shakespeare & Co, munching on croissants, sipping café au laits and watching the snow fall on the Champs-Élysées Sarah boards the plane.

But will her dream of a Parisian Happily-Ever-After come true? Or will Sarah realise that the dream of a Christmas fairytale in the city of love isn’t quite as rosy in reality…

A deliciously feel-good Christmas romance perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Julia Williams



The Little Paris Collection:

The Little Bookshop on the Seine

The Little Antique Shop under the Eiffel Tower

The Little Perfume Shop off the Champs-Élysées

Also by Rebecca Raisin

The Gingerbread Café trilogy:
Christmas at the Gingerbread Café
Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Café
Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Café

The Bookshop on the Corner
Secrets at the Maple Syrup Farm

Amazon  UK

http://amzn.to/1LfJJzO

Amazon US

http://amzn.to/1KR2Wck

iBooks

https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/little-bookshop-on-seine-little/id1022785186?mt=11

Nook

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-little-bookshop-on-the-seine-rebecca-raisin/1121263193?ean=9781474030786

Kobo

 https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-little-bookshop-on-the-seine-the-little-paris-collection-book-1-1

Sainsbury’s

https://www.sainsburysentertainment.co.uk/ebooks/The-Little-Bookshop-On-The-Seine-The-Little-Paris-Collection-Book-1-/Rebecca-Raisin/9781474030786

Rebecca Raisin is a bibliophile. This love of books morphed into the desire to write them. She’s been widely published in various short-story anthologies, and in fiction magazines, and is now focusing on writing romance. The only downfall about writing about gorgeous men who have brains as well as brawn is falling in love with them – just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with. People with big hearts who care about relationships, and, most importantly, believe in true, once-in-a-lifetime love.

Follow her on twitter @jaxandwillsmum

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaRaisinAuthor

Website rebeccaraisin.com

 

Every Time a Bell Rings - Carmel Harrington

Today's review is part of the Around the World blog tour organised by Book Connectors in partnership with Trip Fiction and I'm delighted to be one of the first to share my thoughts on Carmel Harrington's new release Every Time a Bell Rings.

 

The Blurb

 

Belle has taken all the Christmas decorations down. This year they won’t be celebrating.
As foster parents, Belle and Jim have given many children the chance of a happier start in life. They’ve loved them as if they were their own. They shouldn’t have favourites but little Lauren has touched their hearts. And now her mother is well enough to take her back and Belle can’t bear the loss.

Hence, Christmas is cancelled.

So when Jim crashes his car one icy December night, after an argument about Lauren, Belle can only blame herself. Everything she loves is lost. And Belle finds herself standing on The Ha’Penny Bridge wishing she had never been born.

But what happens to a Christmas wish when an angel is listening…

Will Belle realise, before it’s too late, that her life is the most wonderful life of all?

Inspired by the timeless tale of beloved Christmas movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, Carmel Harrington’s next book tells the story of Belle, a young woman and foster carer from Dublin who faces the hardest decision of her life this Christmas on The Ha’Penny Bridge.

Full of Irish charm, magic, and the warmth of the festive season this is an emotional, heartwarming story that will stay with you long after you’ve reached ‘The End’. Perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern & Jojo Moyes.

Carmel is the bestselling author of The Life You Left & Beyond Grace’s Rainbow, voted Romantic eBook of the Year 2013.

The Review
Oh why is it so hard to review a book you really loved?  It should be so incredibly effortless to string together a run of superlatives and reiterate the key points in a book in just the right way to create a review that encourages everyone who reads it that this is a book they must read.

But for me these reviews are the most difficult to write, maybe because of some inner pressure to do the book justice or because you don't want to spoil the story for anyone who does decide to pick it up.  As a book reviewer, I review books.  The clue is in the name.  So I'm just going to have to do my best and hope that it's enough.  Here goes nothing...

At first glance Every Time a Bell Rings is a Christmas book.  It's got a cover reminiscent of a classic Christmas card, a title taken directly from one of the most popular festive films of all-time and has plenty of references to the pop songs which are played on loop from the end of October through til New Year's Eve. 

However, this book is so much more than a Christmas romance. 

Set in Dublin, Every Time a Bell Rings is the story of Belle Bailey and Jim 'the big ride' Looney's relationship.  It follows their lives together from their childhood in foster care through to their reunion, marriage and their own parenting journey. 

Neither Belle nor Jim had an easy start in life and my heart broke for them as they came to terms with life in a foster family, but it's not all doom and gloom.  Carmel Harrington manages to fill even the most bleak scenes with a distant sense of hope and that's why this book has made such a lasting impression on me.  There are some upsetting moments, such as when Belle struggles with her mother's response to her letters, and another storyline later in the book had me sobbing uncontrollably. 

But overall the powerful message woven into every page of this story is that every life is important.  Every person has something to offer.  Your actions impact on others.  What you do, however small, has the potential to change the world, whether that's directly or indirectly.  You matter.

Belle and Jim's story is heartfelt and beautiful, gorgeously written in a way that tugged hard on my heartstrings.  Don't be fooled by the Christmassy exterior -  Every Time a Bell Rings is a novel that can help you reassess your place in the world at any time of year.  The famous quotes at the start of each chapter give even more food for thought.

I'm certain this is going to be another bestseller for Carmel Harrington.  Buy it.  You won't regret it.

Every Time a Bell Rings is released on October 15th in ebook format and November 19th in paperback, published by Harper Impulse.  Pre order here.

The author provided me with a copy of this book in return for my honest, unbiased opinion. 

 

The Around The World Blog Tour is a partnership between TripFiction and #BookConnectors ~ bloggers and authors, travelling the world through fiction.

 

TripFiction was created to make it easy to match a location with a book and help you select good literature that is most pertinent and relevant to your trip. A resource for armchair and actual travellers, it is a unique way of exploring a place through the eyes of an author. We blog, and chat books and travel across Social Media, and love to meet authors and bloggers as we take our literary journey.

http://www.tripfiction.com/

 

Book Connectors was created as a place on Facebook for Bloggers, authors and small publishers to share their news. 

We encourage book promotions; information about competitions and giveaways; news of events, including launch events, signings, talks or courses. Talk about new signings, about film deals .... anything really.

Book Connectors is a friendly group, there are no rules or guidelines - just be polite and respectful to each other. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1466353170351020/

 

September 2015 Book Haul vlog

Love looking at people's bookshelves?  Keen to hear about what I've received this month?  Watch my September book haul on Youtube !

Waiting on Wednesday- Tinsel and Terriers- Cressida McLaughlin

This week I'm Waiting on Wednesday for Tinsel and Terriers by Cressida McLaughlin.  I've been blown away by Cressida's relaxed and chatty storytelling in the Primrose Terrace series and this final instalment promises to wrap everything up with neatly folded corners and silky Christmas ribbon. 

 

I can't wait until it's released on October 22nd, published by Harper.

 

The Blurb

Christmas is coming to Primrose Terrace, Pooch Promenade is doing brilliantly and Cat has made lots of new friends in the street, both dogs and their owners. Life seems good. Things start to go badly when Cat learns something about Mark that she wishes she hadn’t. Then, when one of Ellen’s lovable schnauzers, Chalky, gets ill, it looks like this Christmas could be turning into a dog’s dinner. But Cat has never given up on anything in her life – and this is one Christmas that’s definitely worth saving…

Tinsel and Terriers is the fourth and final part of a serialized novel told in four parts – all set in Primrose Terrace.

Autumn Q and A with Lynsey James *Carina Week*

Lynsey James, author of Just The Way You Are and the forthcoming The Broken Hearts Book Club has joined me today to answer some autumn- themed questions.  Welcome to Books with Bunny!

What's your favourite thing about Autumn?

I love the crunchy leaves and the feeling that Christmas is on the way. I even love the dark mornings because you can cosy up in bed and listen to the rain outside. And the autumnal flavours in Costa and Starbucks are yummy too.

And your least favourite?

I’m not a massive fan of the rain and wind, I must admit, especially when I get caught in it!

What's your favourite comfort food as the weather gets cooler?

Ooh, it’d have to be a slice of hot apple pie and some Scottish tablet ice cream. It’s become my new favourite this year.

What's your favourite film to snuggle up with on a cold, wet day?

I’m a rom-com addict all year round, but especially when it’s horrible outside. My favourites are Because I Said So, Must Love Dogs and Sex and the City.

Lots of readers will have had children going back to school this month or be going back to school/college/university themselves.  What were your favourite subjects at school?  And what subjects did you dislike?

I loved English and Modern Studies, and French and German. I absolutely hated Maths and I still do. Never did get my head around trigonometry!

Can you tell us a bit about your forthcoming release?

Sure! It’s called The Broken Hearts Book Club and it’s about a young woman named Lucy who returns to her hometown after eight years away to find she’s inherited a book club! It’s a lovely book to snuggle up with on a cold, wet day.

And what's next for Lynsey James?

I’m dreaming up ideas for books 3 and 4 right now! Watch this space…

 

Thanks for joining me today Lynsey! 

 

Just the Way You Are is out now in ebook format.  The Broken Hearts Book Club is due for release on October 12th.  Both published by Carina UK.